Stan by Marshall
by weirdgirl42
Summary: A post-ep for "Stan by Me." What happens when Marshall learns of Mary's almost-rape.


**Title:** Stan by Marshall  
**Author:** weirdgirl42  
**Summary: **A post-ep to "Stan by Me." What happens after Marshall finds out about Mary's almost-rape?  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. I make no money  
**Feedback:** Is my heroine. Please feed the addiction.

**Stan by Marshall**

Marshall burst through the Witsec office doors with a loud slam. Stan looked up from his desk and saw the younger man all but run towards his office. Stan stood to intercept him.

"Hey take it easy," he said.

"Where is he Stan?"

"Where is who?"

"The FBI son of a bitch. You locked him in that closet, is he still there?" Marshall didn't wait for an answer before rushing over to the closet doors.

Stan ran after him, hurrying to keep up with Marshall's long legs. "Marshall I let him out when I saw your car pull away. He's not here."

"Where the hell is he then?" Marshall asked, turning to face his boss.

Stan was slightly taken aback. He had rarely seen his inspector's eyes so full of rage and pain. He knew Mary's abduction had hit her partner hard but this was something else. "I don't know where he is," he answered honestly. "What's going on? Is Mary okay?"

"No she's not okay! She was kidnapped, tied up, beaten, and held at gunpoint. And if that wasn't bad enough, if that wasn't an adequate way to inflict psychological damage, she was about two minutes away from being raped!"

Stan's mouth opened and closed. That information had not been a part of Mary's initial statement. Obviously Mary had shared some of what had happened with her partner on the way home. But Marshall's rant wasn't through yet.

"And you want to know why she was almost raped and then killed? Not because of the drugs, or Chuck and Brandi, or Spanky's obvious insanity. Because Agent Asshole released the fact that she was a Marshall to the press. So they realized they had to get rid of her fast, though apparently not before they had their way with her first. Which is why I find myself back here because I swear to you Stan, I am going to find Mr. FBI Man and knock his teeth. But I'll do it slowly so that he can feel the kind of fear she must have…" the last word was cut off by a sob escaping Marshall's mouth.

Turning towards the closet he pounded his fist against the metal door until Stan saw blood begin to emerge. Finally all the fight was gone and Marshall was left with the weariness only 18 hours of sheer 

terror can cause. Giving the door one last pound he slid down until he was kneeling on the floor, his forehead resting against the cool metal of the closet. Sobs racked his body as he finally released all the emotion that had been building since learning of Mary's disappearance.

Stan felt helpless. There had been times in the past when he'd had to consol a crying Mary but never Marshall. Realizing that what worked for one might work for the other he kneeled down next to the other man and put his arm around Marshall's shaking shoulders.

"We told him," Marshall sobbed, his voice shaking. "We told him it could hurt her to release her information."

"I know. And first thing in the morning I'm going to put a call into the Attorney General's office and tell him exactly that."

"I'm supposed to protect her," Marshall said after a moment, his tears beginning to subside. "That's what we do. And I failed."

"You didn't fail," Stan said, running a hand over Marshall's head as if he were a child. "Mary's going to be fine. That bastard didn't violate her, didn't kill her. You found the car. You made the connection. you protected her the best way you could."

"It's not enough. She was looking at me, she's so scared. And I couldn't do anything."

"You did do something. You were there for her. That's all she needs right now. Just be there. It's Mary. Sooner or later she's going to want to talk about it. You just have to be there when she does."

"I'll always be there. She knows that."

"I'm sure she does." Stan had long taken the position of "don't ask, don't tell" when it came to the feelings his two best marshals may or may not have for one another. But after Mary's reaction to Marshall being shot and this current outburst, he wasn't sure how long the floodgates would hold. But he would cross that bridge when they came to it.

After a few minutes Marshall had pulled himself together enough to be embarrassed about the position he was in with his boss. He pulled away and waited for Stan to rise before standing himself. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his expensive-looking jacket he winced at the pain in his knuckles.

Stan smiled sadly, "Come on," he said. "I'll take you to the emergency room and get your hand x-rayed."

Marshall nodded and started to follow Stan out the door. "Hey Stan, do you think we could not tell Mary about…"

"As far as I'm concerned, you came back for some paperwork and slammed your hand in your desk drawer."

Marshall's mouth turned up slightly and he nodded. Stan took in the at least partial smile and decided that it was enough for now.

**The End**


End file.
